Not long ago, a friend taught me how to send and receive e-mail using my cell phone. Suddenly, I was able to exchange news and photos with my kids and grandkids while I was on the road. I felt empowered and grateful. Then a light bulb went off: Wouldn't it be wonderful if other people who didn't grow up with all this technology had someone patient and knowledgeable to help them, too? And The FloH Club was born.

Many of my friends are online, and we keep in touch through e-mail. But I know not everyone has experience with this useful way of communicating. (My own children had begged me for years to learn how to do it.) E-mail, short for electronic mail, is a method of exchanging messages created on a computer. Unlike a paper letter, an e-mail can be delivered virtually instantaneously!

When composing an e-mail, the basic parts are the e-mail address, subject line, and message. That's it! The e-mail address is where the e-mail will be sent, similar to a street address. E-mail addresses are in the form user@domain, such as info@flohclub.com. The subject line is a title for the e-mail. And the message is, well, the message! It's the information you want to share. You can even include digital photos with your e-mail.

When handling incoming e-mail, you should exercise a reasonable amount of caution. Spam is unwanted junk e-mail, usually trying to sell you something. Do not open or reply to spam, even if it contains your name. Simply delete it. Open e-mail attachments only from trustworthy sources, as some files carry viruses that can harm your computer. Of course, you should always keep your system's virus protection up to date.

The FloH Club can help you start using e-mail or give you a refresher. I find that once people get some confidence on the computer, such as with e-mail, they are more likely to try new things!

Talk to you again soon.

4 comments - Posted by Florence Henderson at 2:16 PM - Categories: digital photos | spam | anti-virus | communication | e-mail | safety | technology term | The FloH Club

I have found that a fear of technology is often a fear of the unknown. For example, I had heard of Facebook, which is what is called a "social networking" site. People (young people) were raving about how much they enjoyed using the free Web site to connect with others. As popular as Facebook was, I experienced anxiety when I even thought about attempting to sign up. I automatically assumed that I just wouldn't "get it," that I'd end up feeling frustrated and even stupid if I tried to use it.

I have so much going on in my life, and I knew on some level that Facebook would really help me keep in touch with the world. So I finally bit the bullet and created my own Facebook page, with the help of my friends at The FloH Club. You can see a reduced screenshot of my page right here! (A screenshot is a picture showing what's on a computer screen.) I am so excited to have this new way of communicating.

I'd like to take some of the mystery out of Facebook for you, so you can decide if it's something you might want to try. First, a clarification: If you were to create a personal Facebook page, you would be able to control who sees it. My page is a fan page, so anyone can see it. And if people choose to become fans, they receive updates from me on their "home" page.

So far, I have focused on three sections of my Facebook page. The first section, called the "wall," is where I write updates about my appearances and even my thoughts on life. Fans can leave notes on the wall for me, as well. The "info" section of my page gives a few details about my background and interests, so others can learn a little more about me. The "photos" section is wonderful, because it lets me upload images from my computer and organize them into albums for sharing.

If you have a FloH Club membership and would like to set up a Facebook page, it's part of your service! Just call the support number, and a friendly technician will walk you through the steps. You can also use The FloH Club's One-Time Empowerment Service. If you create a Facebook page, on your own or with The FloH Club's assistance, please let me know how it goes by adding a comment to this blog entry. And please become a fan of my Facebook page. Just click the button that says "Become a Fan."

Talk to you again soon.

24 comments - Posted by Florence Henderson at 1:08 PM - Categories: screenshot | social networking | digital photos | communication | Facebook | technology term | The FloH Club